Half to p



(No Model.)

F. A. PHILLIPPI.

Unirse STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

FRANCIS A. PHILLIPPI, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO P. H. HANTSOH, OF SAME PLACE.

STAI R-ROD FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 357,855, dated February 15, 1887.

Application tled August 28, 1886. Serial No.2l1!.lll. (No model.)

.T0 all wwnt it may concern:

Be it known that I, Banners A. PHILLIPPI, a citizen of the United States,residing at Reading, in the count/y of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stair-Rods and Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has relation to stair-rods and fasteners for the same; and among the objects in View are toprovide arod and fastener which is cheap,strong, and serviceable, and which possesses, when in operative position, a finished appearance, and is easily applied and readily removed from each other and from the stairs.

The invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of my improved stair-rod and fastener applied to the riser of stairs, the left of said figure representing a box-stair and the right a plain stair. Fig. 2 is a side elevation illustrating-a method of adapting my improved rod to stairs of different widths. Fig. Sisaplan of my improved rod. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are a. perspective, top, and bottom view, respectively, of one form of fastener; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 are similar views, respectively, of another form of fastener, all involving novel features of my invention.

A represents the step and A the risers of stairs, a carpet, A2, being thereon.

In that class of stairs known as boxstairs, in which at each end of the steps and risers there are vertical walls, as A3, Fig. I, I modify my construction of the fastener as hereinafter described, from that form which I employ in a plain stair, as shown at the right of Fig. l. In this instance I illustrate a flat rod; but it is apparent that the outline in cross-section may be changed as desired, and that the fastener of either class may also be changed to conform to the outline of the rod.

In making rods I have discovered that rolled steel, which is capable of an extremely fine superficial finish, and which is also capable of being plated with nickel, gold, or silver, can be economically utilized for stairrods, provided a principle of manufacture can be devised whereby the dealer is not obliged t-o keep on hand large quantities of various lengths of rods. This requisite of the problem VI have complied with, in that I provide my N rod B with transverse grooves B', which are 'of such slight dept-h as not to impair, but on the other hand add to, the finished appearance ofthe completed rod. These grooves B may be formed in the face of the rod and at each end thereof, and may be spaced at predetermined distances from eachother, as one inch or any fraction thereof, so that supposing a rod to be thirty-six inches long, and it is desired to use the same on a stair thirty-five inches wide, then all that is necessary to adapt the rod to the stair is to place the same with the mark at the edge of any suitable support, as O, Fig. 2, and to strike the same sharply with a hammer in a downward direction, as

indicated by the arrow in said figure, when it will be smoothly broken transversely, so as to produce a rod ofY a desired length. be objection to the presence of these breakii marks on the face of the rod, it is appar nt they may be arranged upon the back thereof.

I am aware that it is customary in thedifferent arts to provide articles with breakingmarks. Especially is this so in the confectioners art, wherein candy, cake, Sac., is thus formed for the purpose of breaking the same into smaller regular pieces. By my invention an altogether different object is attained-viz., the dealer is not required to constantly keep on hand various lengths of rods, and the breaking-marks located at each end of the rod, as heretofore stated, imparts a nished appearance.

The fastener comprises a loop, D, adapted to conform to the shape of and receive the rod B, as is usual in all classes of stair-rod fasteners. The loop D is formed upon or as a part of a base, D', which is provided with a key-hole slot, the eye Dl of which is beveled on the under surface of the base, and the extension D3 of which is beveled upon the upper surface of said base, whereby the head of a screw, E, whichis first driven into the riser or into the boxing or wall A3,may be entered into the slot and passed above the bevel of the extension,

If there the screw being driven in such a distance that the fastener is firmly retained in position. If desired, and for the purpose of more firmly maintaining the fastener in position, I may oorrugate the under surface thereof in proximity to the extension ofthe slot, as shown at D4, Fig. 6.

In the modification of my fastener whereby it isr adapted to box-stairs the loop is arranged at a right angle to the base, as clearly shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. In other respects the fastener is the same as that just described..

' I am aware that hinges have heretofore been provided with corrugations on the back, and I do not broadly claim a corrugated plate; but for the purpose of providing a fastener which maybe readily held against undesired displacement by a single screw, whereby it may be readily removed or applied, I find it advantageous to provide a series of corrugations, as shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A stair-rod fastener consisting of a rodreceiving loop and a base, the latter provided With akey-hole slot, the eye of which is beveled upon the under side, and the extension of which is beveled on the upper side, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the stair-riser A with the rod B, the fastener having the loop D conforming to the rod, and having the keyhole slot beveled and corrugated, as described, and the screw E, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCIS A. PHILLIPPI.

Vitnesses:

J AMES R. KENNEY, PHILIP H. HAN'rsoH. 

